Dolphins Should Benefit from New Kickoff Rule

The Dolphins were among the worst teams in the NFL on punts and kickoffs last year, but they've gotten some help to try to help the situation

The new NFL rule regarding kickoffs hasn't been met with universal applause, but it might be a good thing for the Miami Dolphins based on what happened last year.

The rule, adopted this week at the league's spring meeting and for which the Dolphins reportedly voted, calls for any fair catch on a kickoff or free kick to give the receiving team the ball at its 25-yard line — the same as with a touchback.

The intent of the rule is to try to reduce the number of concussions, though a lot of coaches and players reportedly don't like the rule.

The effect of the rule is that we can expect the number of kickoffs to drop even more than they did following the rule change to move the line of scrimmage on a touchback from the 20 to the 25, 

Regardless of where fans stand on the new rule — from this end, the borderline elimination of kickoff returns isn't a positive development — the Dolphins could have used this rule last year.

The Dolphins finished dead last in the NFL in kickoff return average allowed last season, thanks in large part to the touchdown given up to Devin Duvernay of the Ravens to start the Week 2 game at Baltimore, and they were 31st in kickoff return average.

On their own returns, the Dolphins didn't have a kickoff return longer than 31 yards, from Raheem Mostert at New England in Week 17.

DOLPHINS SHOULD IMPROVE ON PUNT RETURNS

What will remain unchanged in the NFL in 2023 are punt returns, and that's another area where the Dolphins didn't fare particularly well last season — though not as much as in the kickoff game.

The Dolphins ranked 25th in punt return average allowed, but 31st again in punt return average gained with a figure of only 5.8 yards. The team's longest punt return of the season was a 15-yarder by Cedrick Wilson Jr. against the Houston Texans.

The expectation is that newcomer Braxton Berrios will take over the punt return duties in 2023, and a further expectation is that he'll bring some juice to that part of the game.

Berrios will head into the 2023 season with an 11.4-yard career average on punt returns, with a high of 13.4 in 2021 when he was named an All-Pro returner — more so because he led the NFL with a 30.4-yard average on kickoff returns.

Berrios isn't likely to give the Dolphins the spectacular long punt return like they got from Jakeem Grant until they traded him in 2021, as evidenced by the fact his career-long return is 28 yards. But Berrios is very consistent, as evidenced by his overall healthy punt return average.

And, again, based on last season, that would be a marked improvement.

On kickoffs, the new rule has all but taken care of all the concerns for the Dolphins.